Windows Media Player 11 won't play DVDs

Vista Help

I've been having a problem with Windows Media Player 11 for a few months now
and I'm at a loss for figuring it out.

A few months ago, Windows Media Player decided to stop playing my DVDs.
Before this it had worked perfectly in both it and Windows Media Center.
The DVD drive works just fine as I'm able to read and write DVDs without a
problem. I had pretty much stopped watching DVDs for a few months so I
can't link it to specifically one change that I've made to my computer, but
suffice it to say none of the new program instillations should have bothered
anything video related.

I downloaded and install VLC Media Player and I am able to watch movies
perfectly fine with it. This leads me to believe that something has gone
wrong with the embedded DVD codec in Vista, but I can't figure out how to
find the problem or fix it.

Which version of Vista do you have?
What "MPEG filters" are listed under WMP's Help:about:Technical Support
Information menu tool?

--
Speaking for myself only.
See http://zachd.com/pss/pss.html for some helpful WMP info.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
--
"Nick" <NicholasJohn16@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:B7F52BAF-2AF0-4A04-8217-C5922377CDCA@microsoft.com...
> I've been having a problem with Windows Media Player 11 for a few months
> now and I'm at a loss for figuring it out.
>
> A few months ago, Windows Media Player decided to stop playing my DVDs.
> Before this it had worked perfectly in both it and Windows Media Center.
> The DVD drive works just fine as I'm able to read and write DVDs without a
> problem. I had pretty much stopped watching DVDs for a few months so I
> can't link it to specifically one change that I've made to my computer,
> but suffice it to say none of the new program instillations should have
> bothered anything video related.
>
> This is what it looks like when I try to watch a movie:
> http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...VDPlayback.jpg
>
> I downloaded and install VLC Media Player and I am able to watch movies
> perfectly fine with it. This leads me to believe that something has gone
> wrong with the embedded DVD codec in Vista, but I can't figure out how to
> find the problem or fix it.
>
> Any suggestions? Thank you for any assistance.

"okedoke1234" <okedoke1234.3lk47s@DoNotSpam.com> wrote in message
news:okedoke1234.3lk47s@DoNotSpam.com...
>
> I have the exact same issue. DVD video is just splotches of random
> colors. I'm running WMP 11.0.6001.7000 and Vista Home Premium.
>
> Any help would be appreciated. I also installed VLC player and it works
> fine.
>

Same here, same configuration as yours. All I get is colored blocks.

Please let me/us know if you come up with a fix. This is frustrating since
Vista Home Prem. is supposed to work -- and all Windows Updates are done....

About VLC, did you have to do any weird configuration to it to make it work?
I should give it a try. Thanks.

"okedoke1234" <okedoke1234.3lo7fb@DoNotSpam.com> wrote in message
news:okedoke1234.3lo7fb@DoNotSpam.com...
>
> I have no clue why I have all those filters installed. I did not go out
> and do it myself as I wouldn't know how to do it. I'm not an IT guy.
>
> My video card is NVIDIA GE Force 7300 LE with driver version
> 7.15.11.6371 dated 9/17/2007. Tried to update driver and it says I have
> the most up to date version.
>

To update my previous message, I have the EXACT nVidia and driver setup as
you, and can't play DVDs except for the colored, blocky, pixilated video. I
did, however, install the latest VLC DVD player today, and it works great.
That in itself proves it's not a "video" problem.

It's probably a codecs problem, but how in hell does anyone know how to deal
with that!

It is definitely a codec problem, according to zachd you have to remove all of the other MPEG filters other than microsoft.

I installed the Direct Show Filter Manager at http://zachd.com/pss/pss.html. I cannot figure out how to change the Merit properties on the unneeded filters to MERIT_DO_NOT_USE. It won't let me save it after I change the merit properties.